Bonnet Pull Cable Broken

[ttr]

Eh up all,

Well my E53 has been running fine of late, not used it in a week or three so thought I would give the battery a charge last night.

Popped the bonnet hooked up the Ctek and left it charging, came to this morning and thought I would unplug it, went to pop the bonnet and the cable broke at the handle

Mmmm thought I this ain’t good.

Quick google and found I could strip the handle and strip the cable back and get some mole grips on the frayed end and popped the bonnet thank god

Anyways anyone ever replace the lever end cable.?

Ordered a cable of the bay for a £10.00 and looks simple enough - but been there before so thought I would ask before I end up having the remove the boot to get access

Any tips or instructions welcome

Cheers all in advance

[henrym3]

Once you take the handle off the bonnet can be opened with pliers by pulling the cable as long as it’s broke at the handle. As you know the cable is in two pieces and it’s easy to change the handle to joint piece. If the other half of the cable hasn’t been replaced I would recommend you do it, more work but nightmare if it breaks. Mine was hanging on by half the wire strands. Have to admit I bought a cheapo of eBay which was to long and ended up buying of dealer but I suppose it’s luck of the draw.

[ttr]

Eh up henrym3

How you doing mate.

Thanks for the tips, got mole grips on and bonnet open.

Good thought on the other cables will check them out.

Take care up there if it’s as wet as down here , thanks again

[ttr]

Ehup Henrym3

Re the bonnet latches that run from the connector block on the wing that you advised me on, do you REALLY have to take the bumper off and light out to change these over

How did you do yours

I’m looking at how toos on the net and getting conflicting advice.

I’ve had the bumper of a few times - not my favourite job as those bl88by plastic clips always break .

Any advice on these latches would be useful - got a flexi camera and going to try and take a look at them for condition if it stops raining and snowing, !

Cheers in advance

[henrym3]

No, the front bumper doesn’t have to come off. From memory the fan and shroud needs to come off, then each catch has 3 torx screws that needs undone to get the catches out. I think I followed the Pelican DIY to do the job

[henrym3]

https://www.pelicanparts.com/techarticl ... atches.htm

[ttr]

Eh up,

Cheers for that, got the Pelican how to already just thought I would ask you as sometimes the US versions are different.

Bit more informed now , so hopefully less likely to cock up

Will be looking at this shortly - once I get some clear weather

Cheers again

[ttr]

Eh up all,

I always try and close my threads out , so to update.

Flebay delivered my Chinese part today £10.00 all in for the front cable.

I followed the instructions above and easily dismantled the inner cover, interior light switch, reverse beeper and got to the handle and cable gland. Popped the bonnet and reassembled easy enough.

I did swap the new cable holder under the dash for the oem one as it’s better quality.

Refitted in no time and to be sure I tested the pull lever without closing the bonnet just to make sure it worked on the two latches. I did note the travel seemed long on the handle ie the full rotation of the handle, but it appeared to work.

So with a prayer shut the bonnet and tried the handle - oh fffff888kkkk bonnet stayed down.

Panicked briefly.......then thought logically, got the mrs out and she tugged it ( ) and I managed to get the thing to open .

After inspecting the cable is just too long , hence the level of rotation at the handle. So in my usual Heath Robinson way I considered options.

I decided I could not re-engineer the Bowden cable end, so elected to put a loop in the cable end, hence shortening the cable ! well it’s worth a try me thinks.

So tested it on the old one and it worked, ie I could get a loop/ knot, so did it at the joint end under the bonnet where it sits in the plastic guide on the wing.

So tried it again with the bonnet open, handle rotated but up to 90 degrees not 180, and the latches opened, no resistance in the cable either, double checked the plastic casing and all’s well.

Shut bonnet, prayed again, and opened , handle travel is less than 90 degrees with no resistance or strain like the original and the bonnet opens

I know it’s not ideal putting a loop in the Bowden cable, but for the times it’s used it should be fine and for a £10 part what do you expect.

I am going to look at the rest once it’s dry, will update when I do.

Hope this “ fix” might help someone else if they get the same cheap parts.

Cheers again all

[henrym3]

We must have bought the same cheapo cable. I should have did the same as you and tied a knot or complained and then maybe you would have got the right length. Well done. Hope the other half is as easy..